The editors of Physics World have published a new installment of their micro-reviews, a format in which the magazine's editors offer short, compressed verdicts on some of the most notable physics books to have just reached bookshops. This month's selection spans a wide range of titles, from popular science to philosophical essays.

Among the books reviewed is a volume devoted to the physics of the weather, unpacking the processes that govern the climate and the workings of meteorology from a physics standpoint. The selection also includes a more literary book centred on gravity, which tackles universal attraction from a narrative and popular-science perspective.

Rounding out the selection are two titles of a philosophical bent: one reflects on the concept of uncertainty, a theme that runs through quantum mechanics as well as statistics and the philosophy of science, while the other offers a philosophical look at space exploration and humanity's place in the cosmos.

The micro-review format, with its short and direct assessments, gives readers a quick sense of the content and interest of each book without the need for lengthy reviews. The selection is aimed at a mixed audience of students, physics enthusiasts and readers with a general scientific curiosity.